ZADR new 100 themes challenge
by Blackdragon3
Summary: This is Sora-Horsey's new 100 Themes challenge. It has a bit of everything. ZADR, angst, fluff, romance, humor, horror, ect.
1. Chapter 1

A/N:

This is for the "new 100 themes challenge" by Sora-Horsey on DevArt (.com/art/NEW-100-Themes-Challenge-131213677)

Some of this might be confusing, since most of these take place in my made-up post-series universe.  
>At the bottom, I'll introduce it a little. If further explanation is needed, drop me a note :)<p>

Also, please keep in mind that I'm not a native speaker.  
>Beta-read by Sage-ums on DevArt<p>

As for warnings: This has ZADR, mentions of rape, supporting character deaths, Mpreg, genocide, xenophilia, angst... erm.. It's not as bad as it might sound now, but some of the themes are dark. (most of them are cute/romantic/insane/fluffy)

You have been warned and flaming will not be tolerated. Serious critique will be rewarded with cookies (I'm new at writing and I want to learn)

* * *

><p>1: Names<br>„Filthy Dirt-child!" „Bastard alien scum!" With a strained grunt and an uncontainable grin, Dib tried to use his larger body to pin the thin alien to the ground and snatch the tv remote out of his clawed hands; somehow, their name-calling had become less insulting and more affectionate with each year that they had shared a home.

2: Hardship  
>Looking at the vast, tranquil expanse of black, occasionally interrupted by glittering dots of light, Zim sighed. For the first time in years, there was time to relax, to look back at everything that had happened, that had changed. And he found, when he felt his Tallest step up to stand next to him, the hardship of the past had been totally worth it.<p>

3: School  
>Keep up the pretences. Don't stand out. Do not be noticed. Both of them repeated those words in their minds, over and over. They needed to pretend, to make everything seem normal to keep the world around them unsuspicious. At least for a little while longer, no one must know of their plans. The moment their classmates, the teachers or even anyone else around them would be able to tell something was wrong, it would be too late to stop.<p>

4: Opinion  
>„What do you think?" It took a full five seconds to get a reaction. But, when Dib burst out laughing, nearly falling off the pink couch for the third time that evening, Zim decided to not ever ask his opinion on changes for his disguise again.<p>

5: Break Up  
>Tears, shouts and a resounding slap were the expected reaction and Zim didn't even wince when the human female stomped away, leaving the Dib to rub his bruising cheek. Stepping up to him, Zim shook his head, rolling his fake eyes. „Why do you even bother anymore, Dib-stink? You court female after female, only to break their puny little hearts, knowing in the end you will return to me anyway. Zim's irresistible." And Dib knew he was right.<p>

6: New Love  
>It all had started with hatred and fascination. Fascination had become obsession, hatred had become a fragile kind of respect and familiarity. From there their environment and the forces around them had brought about the vital need to form an alliance to stay alive. A strange friendship had been born and with the passing time it had become so very much more. Now, years later, Dib smiled at the relaxed alien standing next to him, knowing that with each time he lost himself in those deep, magenta eyes, he fell in love with Zim all over again.<p>

7: Alley  
>Dark alleys in the night, the perfect place to commit a crime and never be found out. Murders were being committed tonight. With each hasty press of lips against lips, with each rub of skin and each thrust against still mostly covered bodies. They killed their morale, their drummed-in beliefs and their bonds with their people. Neither cared. They were criminals and in this dark alley, no one would ever find out. It was alright.<p>

8: Riddle  
>„You talk in riddles, Dib-thing!" An accusing finger was pointed at the human's face and the alien attached to it gave an annoyed growl. „Explain to Zim what you meant by that!" Dib just grinned and shook his head. „Not a chance, spaceboy. With that almighty brainmeat of yours, I'm sure you'll figure it out on your own." He leant forward to press a kiss to the fingertip pointing at him, before he bolted. It was silly and childish, but it also kept them going. They had to fight the cabin fever. And having a silly chase and playing tag like that distracted them from the fact that they were trapped in an underground lab. It was a self-chosen prison, but a prison that they could not escape yet for a long time. A little play wouldn't hurt and Dib knew, no matter who won, the result would be the same.<p>

9: You and Me  
>It had been a year since Zim had broken Dib out of the mental hospital. They had decided to go into hiding and break off any and all contact to the world outside of Zim's base. They had started plotting against both the irken Tallest and the earth's inhabitants. Still, sometimes, Dib showed signs of homesickness or second thoughts. He never voiced them, feeling that it didn't matter anymore. But the alien knew. At one point, he could see the depression in his human „housemate" getting worse than usual and stepped up to him. Dib had gotten so much taller than him, forcing the smaller alien to look up at him with serious, magenta eyes. „Stop that, Dib-human. It's no use. They don't exist anymore, nothing does. Now, it's just you and me. And once I take over the irken empire and the universe, I'll give the earth to you to use as a plaything as you wish." The severity and seriousness of the magenta stare forced an amused smile onto human lips and Dib felt as if a heavy weight lifted from his shoulders. „Yes..." He whispered, pulling Zim closer. „It's just you and me. That is enough." And it was.<p>

10: I Do  
>It was a stupid, human custom. It was superfluous. They had already mated, they shared traces of the same DNA and there even was a smeet growing in his slim belly. And even with all that, the Dib had asked him to perform this silly little ceremony, informal and with no real effect on anything. As silly as it was, Zim found himself blushing and struggling to utter those two, very short and very simple words „I do..."<p>

11: Secret  
>There were so many secrets between them. The first few years, Zim had had the advantage of going to a human school and having had access to a vast amount of information on life on earth. Dib, on the other hand, had had no clues at all, except for the things he had seen while he had spied on the alien. Later on, they had started talking, asking questions about each other, learning of the secrets and features of both sides. Inevitably, the topic had switched to anatomy and what had started as their usual curiosity soon led to exploration. Neither Zim nor Dib could really remember who made the first step, going from asking questions to asking permission to touch. It had started innocent enough, touching each other's faces, comparing the feel of human and irken hands and skin. Instead of sating their curiosity, though, it only got worse. Somehow, suddenly, unexpectedly, there was the question of „taste". And the next thing they knew, they were all over each other, kissing, licking, biting, sucking, touching, more than eagerly bent on seeing what reactions they could cause within the other. It was the hottest, strangest make-out-session Dib had ever experienced. And the first one for Zim.<br>Only hours later they finally disentangled, exhausted and curiosity quenched at least for a while. Zim was still staring at the ceiling, dazed and trying to get back his bearings, while Dib started wondering how he would explain the countless love bites and scratches that covered his skin. With a little silly grin, he decided to tell anyone who asked that it was a secret. A secret that only one other being knew.

12: DO NOT ENTER  
>The big „Do not enter" sign on Dib's door never bothered his little sister. She entered any door she wanted, when she wanted. Though, this one time, she truly wished she hadn't. As Gaz pressed her back against the wooden door, rubbing her eyes to unsuccessfully remove the flashing images from her mind, she wished that she had minded the sign this one time. Flashes of white skin pressed against green, tangled limbs and rumpled sheets would probably haunt her nightmares forever.<p>

13: Colors  
>Golden specks in pools of swirling magenta, pale green skin with a light rosy tint, soft fuzz of black hair... both children were a mix of so many different colors. And so, so beautiful. They were hybrids, mixes of two species, and they combined the best of both in themselves.<p>

14: Cruel  
>It was cruel. Probably unreasonably so. But Zim didn't care. Bluish blood splattered onto his combat boots as his mate took out his rage on his Tallest. No.. not „his" Tallest anymore. His new Tallest was currently beating the ex-leaders into bloody messes, while he watched with glowing eyes. A red eyeball bounced wetly in his direction, to stop near his boot. The screaming had died down and all that was heard now were strangled grunts and Dib's heavy breathing, as he finished ripping away flesh and breaking bones. Zim watched, fascinated as the blood covered male straightened, towering tall and proud above the bloody figures that had once been the most powerful leaders in the universe. It had been cruel. They had suffered, Dib had made sure of that. And it was the most satisfying thing Zim had ever witnessed. Stepping onto the eyeball as he moved forward, the petite irken all but jumped his mate, finding himself in a passionate kiss, tasting the blood from Dib's skin. Revenge was sweet.<p>

15: Kings, Queens, and Jokers  
>With a twitch of nonexistent eyebrows, Zim threw the cards into the air, huffing in annoyance. „This game is stoopid." Dib chuckled and just nodded. With all his intelligence and knowledge of highly advanced technology, the little alien was unable to remember even the simplest rules of playing cards.<p>

16: Run Free  
>It was a sort of last request and Zim was all too happy to grant it. Dib ran across green and golden fields, barefoot, not paying attention where he was going or what was waiting for him in the near future. He just ran, enjoying the feel of cool grass and warm sunlight, the wind on his skin and the sound of insects and birds and rustling clothes. He wanted to remember this feeling, the few sensations that were worth paying tribute to. In a few days, it all would be gone, reduced to nothing but ash and dust. He ran and ran and burned this very moment into his memory.<p>

17: Where are the Crackers?  
>„Where are the damn crackers?" Dib rubbed his forehead with a weary sigh. „You ate them, Zim. ALL of them. And I already told you, I will get you new ones." He was just in the process of pulling on his jacket to go to the all-night store. He knew it wasn't the alien's fault. His hormones made him have these cravings, but sometimes, Dib wished he could just have one single night in which he wouldn't be forced to wake up and go shopping for whatever snacks his pregnant mate was craving.<p>

18: Life  
>When he had been activated, it had been just that. He had jumped into existence, from one second to the next he was alive, conscious and self-sufficient. His race reproduced mechanically, they were all clones and almost no one really remembered how it had been before that. Zim did. As he curled up in his organic nest, exhausted and content, he watched the two tiny beings squirm in his hands. They weren't self-sufficient yet, they didn't have much of a consciousness yet. But at the same time, to Zim, they already were the most perfect beings to ever exist.<p>

19: R is for Revenge  
>The air was filled with smoke and screams, thick and heavy as the wind blew the stench of burning flesh into his face. Calmly, he walked through the violent chaos that had once been his home, grinning in satisfaction. Once spotted, there were several people rushing towards him, panicked, begging, desperate... filthy. They begged him to save them... to use his knowledge to end their suffering and stop the destruction. They promised to do everything, to believe everything he said. And he just kept grinning, cruel eyes looking down at them, and he told them „No." Delight filled him at their terror, the realization that he wasn't their savior. Not anymore.<br>Laughter, loud, ecstatic, insane... Dib watched with keen eyes as each and every one of them perished, along with this city... along with this country... along with this very planet. They did not deserve to be saved. They hadn't wanted to be saved when they had still had the chance. Now it was HIS turn to laugh at them. Indeed, the saying was true. Revenge was sweet.

20: Burning  
>It burned. Strangely enough, it wasn't unpleasant at all. It was a hot prickling that filled his mouth and covered his skin wherever Dib's lips and tongue touched. When the burning sensation moved lower, his quiet sighs and gasps turned into moans and cries, begging to feel that heat everywhere at once.<p>

.

.

* * *

><p>Anyway.<p>

My main storyline starts with the "bolognius maximus" episode, where Zim and Dib get infected with bologna-DNA. Following this incident, they work together to find a cure. It takes only a little while to get rid of the mutations, but it takes years to get rid of all traces of bologna-DNA. They mix their blood and DNA to create something strong enough to remove it. Due to that, Dib becomes part irken, Zim part human. Because of his his even more "crazy" behaviour and his continued claims about the supernatural, Dib is put into the crazy house for boys for half a year. Zim breaks him out and they go into hiding in his undergroudn base. Sometime during that time, Zim gets told by his Tallest that he is an exile and they want him dead. Dib, suffering from recurring fits of insanity (the crazy house incident made him snap) decides to become Zim's new Tallest and take over the irken empire.

I will not tell you much more here, since it would spoil the real fic I'm currently writing. But it might help you understand what is happening here :)

If you're still confused, drop me a note or comment and I'll do my best to explain


	2. Chapter 2

21: Do You Want To Know?  
>Dib was watching the large computer screens in one of Zim's underground lab rooms, trying to use his growing irken language skills to learn more about them. About Zim. The alien had learned so much about the human race, about this planet and about its society, and in return, Dib knew nearly nothing about the irken race. With all his observation and all his obsession, he knew nothing. The sound of boots on metal floor aproached him and he knew without turning, who it was. A three-fingered hand rested on his shoulder, thin body stepping up next to him, watching the same screens. „Stupid Dib-thing... still trying to find my weaknesses?" Dib chuckled, moving his own hand to warmly rest atop the other's. „Of course... I can't risk missing your newest evil scheme, Spaceboy." Zim was strangely quiet for a moment, watching the screen without really looking. „Do you want to know? Zim will tell you, the Dib just needs to ask."<p>

22: Discovery  
>He had always been curious. It was his nature as an invader. This planet held little that was worthy of investigation, though. Except one thing. One being that never failed to offer more things to discover. He never grew tired exploring *him*.<p>

23: Birthday  
>It was a day like any other. Dib knew that. No one bothered, no one probably even remembered and he had given up any expectations many years ago. Because of that, it took his genius mind nearly a full five minutes to comprehend that the pink, crumpled, messily wrapped box, covered in countless layers of adhesive tape was supposed to be a present. He felt a wide smile split his face and sudden tears prick at his eyes at the sight of the most awful and most wonderful birthday present he had ever been given.<p>

24: Rocks Aren't the Same  
>Rocks were boring. They were all the same. No matter the size, no matter what might grow on them, they were nothing but rocks. Even giant rocks, like planets, were no different. In the end, they were still just rocks. Boulders of dead matter. And yet... while this planet didn't matter to him at all, what did was one of the things that had grown on it. One tiny, tiny thing, compared to the size of this rock, that made its existence important. This rock needed to stay unharmed. For as long as it took for him to convince this being to forsake the filth around him and join him to find a better place for him to live. But until he managed that... he found he needed to change his views just a little. Maybe, rocks weren't the same after all. If only for that which grows on them.<p>

25: Shadow  
>All his life, he had been treated like a shadow. Something that was there but rarely noticed. People were annoyed when he got too close and blotted out the light when they tried to read. He yearned for attention, but got none. They ignored him like the shadow they thought him to be. There but unimportant. Until he had had enough. They wanted him to be a shadow? Then he would become their shadow. A shadow so dark he would blot out any and all light. And it would be impossible to ignore when he encased everything in his darkness.<p>

26: Fate  
>Zim didn't believe in such a thing as „fate". But then again... every time his eyes met with a honey colored glance, he wondered if „coincidence" did any justice to their meeting in the vast expanse of space.<p>

27: Freedom Isn't Free  
>Their freedom hadn't come without a price. They had paid, dearly. But all the effort, and even with all the duties attached to it, their new freedom was worth it all. They ruled everything. They were free to do whatever they pleased. There was much responsibility, but it was worth it.<p>

28: Wildflowers  
>The Dib had insisted they go to the park and have some ice cream. Zim didn't mind the ice cream, but he found it strange to just sit there on a green patch of grass under a tree and... do nothing. Not knowing what else to do, the alien watched the tiny dots of color around them sway with the soft breeze. He suddenly found himself wondering how, in this horribly filthy, polluted world, it was possible that such tiny, beautiful things as wildflowers could bloom. A short glance towards his napping companion and Zim found a pattern there. In this horribly filthy, polluted world, among billions of ignorant, stupid and ugly creatures, a single being managed to stand out, intelligent, beautiful and unique. Shaking his head, to clear those useless thoughts, Zim couldn't help the blush spreading over his emerald cheeks. He would blame it on the horribly hot earthen weather later.<p>

29: Energy  
>„I do not need to sleep, Dib-beast!" Zim protested for the umpteenth time as Dib tried to get him to rest. „But you're exhausted!" When the alien opened his mouth to protest yet again, Dib pushed him over with a single hand, making him fall onto the couch behind him. „Recharge your batteries, Spaceboy, or I'll take advantage of your weakness." he mock-threatened. Zim sputtered a few curses in irken before grudgingly making his way to his recovery chamber.<p>

30: Notes  
>While looking for something in his wardrobe, Dib caught sight of an old, slightly dusty box. Immediately, a nostalgic smile lit his features and he picked it up. Inside, he found countless crumpled pieces of paper. Even the very first note he had written was in this box. He remembered the days at skool, when Zim had first arrived and they had spent the entire day throwing notes at each other's heads in class. Over the years, the content had changed but the habit had never ceased. Even today, he sometimes was hit with a piece of paper, when he stood on the bridge of the Massive, often finding his grinning mate a few meters away.<p>

31: Numbers  
>Zim stared confusedly at the numbers written on the crumpled piece of paper the Dib had pushed into his hand. Said boy was fighting hard not to blush. „It's my telephone number. Call me." He explained in a rush. Following that moment were many nights spent talking on the phone. Funny how a device as simple as a human telephone made talking freely so much easier.<p>

32: Dying Fire  
>They say „fire cleanses all", and maybe it's true. Now, as they stood on a vast plane of cooling ashes, they both felt tension leaving them. The exhilaration and chaos of the moment slowly ebbed away, making way for a strange calmness. Five fingers entwined with three and the smoky black of the sky slowly turned to rust. The organic sweep was done and along with all proof of earth's nature and inhabitants, Dib's loneliness and pain had been wiped from existence as well.<p>

33: Breaking Point  
>Zim could see it every day. With each insult, with each time they laughed at him. Dib didn't show it to them, his hurt. Dib tried to not show it even to him. But Zim knew. The human was close to his breaking point. With all the mental and physical abuse he went through day after day, it was only a matter of time until he snapped. Frowning at the teenagers passing him by, Zim inwardly hoped they would get a taste of the damage they had caused. He knew his former rival better than anyone else, having had his share of little peeks of insanity. It rested dormant within the genius mind but slowly, the insanity woke, having been tampered with too often. The alien felt the boy's brassbound self-control breaking. Whatever lay beneath would be a fitting punishment for them, he was sure.<p>

34: Fish  
>Irkens were vegetarians. At least most of them were and they mainly fed on snacks and food that consisted mostly of sugar, fat and other highly calorific components. Their biology wasn't able to handle any kind of meat and most types of vegetables or fruit. For some strange reason, though, a few kinds of fish seemed to make an exception. That was the only reason why, when the Dib-human asked him to join him on a fishing trip, Zim had agreed to come along. He actually enjoyed fried fish.<p>

35: Trapped  
>Professor Membrane was caught between frustration and panic. It had been hours since he had been thrown into this glass coffin. There were no perceivable gaps or joints. It was, as if the whole cube was made from one, single piece of glass. If it even was glass at all. And it seemed to be quite sturdy, if not unbreakable. At first, he had gloated at his stupid, alien captors for not taking the precaution of searching through his clothes for any weapons or tools. But none of his little gadgets had been able to even so much as leave a scratch on the clear material. He was trapped... and knowing his own son was about to wipe out any and all forms of life on earth wasn't helping the situation any...<p>

36: Dancing  
>What humans called dancing was very different to what the irken called a dance. When Dib asked for a dance, half in humor, half serious, Zim had blushed and refused vehemently. After a few more tries, with his stubbornness butting in, the alien had given in. It was Dib's turn to blush hotly and refuse, when Zim explained the irken dance to him and stated he wanted to be the one to lead.<p>

37: Don't Go  
>Dib grabbed the pink uniform by the sleeve, looking into undisguised magenta eyes. „Don't go." he said simply, looking at the alien with serious eyes. Zim wanted to pull away, to get into the voot cruiser and leave, but the longer his eyes locked with Dib's, the more he found he couldn't.<p>

38: Alone  
>As long as he could remember, he had been alone. His father too busy, his sister too detached. Even in primary skool, he had never had any friends, his intelligence and obsession with the paranormal too weird for the others, even back then. The very first time he felt like he was being acknowledged was when the green new kid appeared in his class, turning his whole world upside down. From that moment on, he hadn't felt alone anymore. And now, Dib felt like he had to repay the favor. Zim had sought him out in the park at night, where he often observed the stars. At first, he had thought it a new scheme, a trick to lure him, but the seriousness in his eyes, the barely hidden desperation when he told him about how he had been exiled and lost the connection with his people... it moved him. He could relate. He KNEW what it felt like. Slowly, he extended his hand, taking the smaller one into his own. It felt strange, but comforting at the same time. „You are not alone." It was a statement and the moment he said it, the human knew he meant it.<p>

39: Betrayal  
>In disbelief, two pairs of eyes, blood and lilac colored, stared at the human and the one betraying them. Zim, always loyal, always so eager to please his Tallest to gain even the tiniest bit of praise. He had been understandably shocked and crushed when they told him the truth. But never, not in their wildest dreams, would they have believed that he would turn against them. Against his own race. But he had. And with him was an alien, human as they had learned, standing tall and proud behind the small ex-invader. „You traitor!" Purple cried, but Zim only grinned, bitter and victorious. The last thing either of them would see was the insane grin on the human's face as he carried out the unspoken order of the only invader that had ever dared to invade his own planet.<p>

40: Due Date  
>Dib paced the base's main corridor restlessly, unable to stop and sit down, even for a minute. He was excited and frustrated. Zim had retreated into his organic nest over two weeks ago and the human had painfully learned that even entering the room that contained the nest was out of the question. He brushed his fingers over the still sore scar across his chest that Zim had given him for trying to sneak a peek into the nest. Still, he knew today was the due date. Today, if everything was correct, he finally would be able to see his mate again. His mate and his newborn. He knew neither gender nor looks and it drove him crazy. The birth should have been three days ago and he hoped Zim would finally leave his nest and allow his mate to see...<br>Giving another frustrated growl, Dib rounded the corner yet once again, continuing his nervous pacing.


	3. Chapter 3

41: Sealed in Blood  
>It had been years ago, when Zim had tried tempering with his DNA, pulling a prank whose outcome neither could have expected. In return, Dib had infected him with the same virus. The months after that incident were spent in Dib's lab, trying to figure out a cure. The mutations to their bodies weren't that hard to undo, but the invisible changes to both their DNA were harder to fix. In the end, they had to mix irken with human DNA, to create something strong enough to erase the unwanted substance. It left them both with traces of each other. It was a connection so deep it was frightening. After a while, though, it stopped being scary and unwanted... and became precious instead. They were inseparable.<p>

42: Impossible  
>Impossible... a word that didn't seem to exist for the green-skinned alien. It was impossible for a single being to overthrow a whole planet's inhabitants? Yet, Zim had done it. It was impossible for an irken defect to be anything else than useless? Yet, Zim had proven them wrong. It was impossible for an irken to reproduce? Yet the twins were proof enough that it wasn't. It was impossible to change the laws of time and space? Well... at some point, Dib was sure, Zim would manage even that.<p>

43: Party  
>Never had either of them been invited to a party. Dib had stopped caring at some point, and Zim never had to begin with. But they enjoyed their private little parties. When they met in Zim's house, turned up the volume, listening to human and irken music alike. Sometimes, they danced. Sometimes they drank. Most of the time, they just enjoyed each other's company.<p>

44: Sparkle  
>Magenta Red. Pink. Changing colors with even the tiniest of movements, with each change in lighting... Dib could stare into those huge, alien eyes for hours and not get bored for a single second. In return, Zim stared into human eyes, wondering at how, even with the small size of them, they held so much life and emotion. It was a sparkle he hadn't seen in any other's eyes before, no matter the species.<p>

45: Be a Man  
>„Don't act like such a smeet, Dib-thing." Zim chided, shaking his head at the pained whimpers and gasps. „How do the hyuumans say? Act like a man!" Dib tried coming up with a witty remark or at least a half-hearted complaint... but it was hard to do, when your former alien enemy, now comrade, was trying to attach an alien piece of technology directly to your spine, while mechanical tendrils forced their way through your body. Damn... getting a PAK certainly was unpleasant.<p>

46: Go For a Swim  
>„Stoopid Dib-stink! Have you already forgotten that-"<p>

„No, I haven't. But I promise, the water is clean! It's a pool, I tested it. It is safe, even for you." Dib smiled patiently, stepping closer to the indoor pool. „Come on, just try. You can put a fingertip in and see it's perfectly clean and won't burn your perfectly green skin." Still, Zim hesitated. „But, I can't..."

„Swim? Don't worry, I'll not let you drown. Trust me..." the last words did the trick and Zim moved closer, wondering how swimming in a thin liquid like water would feel like. On his home planet, the cleaning liquids usually were more like goo, thicker and sticky. Surely his body would just sink like a brick, but the heavier human managed just fine, gliding through the clear substance. If he'd sink, Dib would sink with him, Zim was going to make sure of that.

47: Am I Dreaming?  
>Through the fevered fog, Dib blinked at the blurry green blotch above him. It moved and pushed something into his mouth. The more he thought about it, the surer he was that it had to be a spoon. With a thick liquid on it. The bittersweet taste made his stomach lurch for a moment, before it surprisingly settled and calmed. The green blotch vanished a moment, there was muffled complaining, but Dib wasn't able to make out words. Something cold and wet was dropped over his burning forehead... a towel? „Am I dreaming...?" he croaked, unable to tell with his fever. As it leant closer, the green blotch became a little less blotchy and Dib could make out two annoyed, pink eyes. „Shut your mouth, Dib-beast and stop being sick. Zim would think you humans were at least immune to your own germs. Get better or I'll kick you out." Dib smiled. If it was a dream, it was a good one.<p>

48: Too Good To Be True  
>Everywhere he looked, there were snacks, piled on his fake kitchen counter, covering most of his living room table and he was covered in delicious sweets and doughnuts as well. No matter where he turned, he was faced with the most exquisite treats. It was too good to be true. And sadly... it was. Just as he was about to take a bite, he jerked into consciousness again, blinking about confusedly. Dib was leaning over him, looking both relieved and a little worried. His drug-induced hallucinations were over and he came back to reality slowly. „Zim wanted those doughnuts..." he slurred and Dib had to chuckle. „Don't worry, spaceboy. I'll get you as many as you want once you're back on your feet."<p>

49: BAD  
>„This is bad... how did you even manage that?" Dib tried to gauge the situation, unable to stop the amused grin from tugging at his lips. The sour look that his mate gave him could have made stones cower in fear, but the human was far too used to it by now. Somehow, the irken ex-invader had managed to tangle his PAK-legs so hopelessly into the wiring of his lab, that he was now trapped and dangling from the ceiling in a helpless, annoyed bundle. „Dib-beast, Zim swears that if you don't get-"<p>

„You out from there right now, you'll have my head and use it as a snack bowl. I know, Zim. Just give me a moment to get up there and I'll see what I can do." He laughed, unable to keep it in anymore.

50: 50%  
>With loving eyes, Dib watched the twins sleep, brushing gentle fingertips over the pale green skin. They were a perfect mix between his mate and himself. The tiny bodies were smaller and thinner than a human infant's, yet seemingly stronger. Smooth, warm skin a lighter shade of green than the usual irken hue and on their heads were both tiny lekku and a soft fuzz of human hair. Dib smiled, pressing a kiss to his daughter's forehead and one to his son's cheek, quietly getting up from kneeling by the crib. They were 50 percent irken, and 50 percent human... and 100 percent perfect.<p>

51: Elemental Tempest  
>The universe was vast. That much Dib had expected. But not the wonders he'd see. There were supernovae, which were astonishing to watch. And the beautiful, huge nebulae. But what he saw right now was purely mindblowing. It was the birth of a star. It went much faster than he had thought it would, and there were so many colors, wild swirls and soft looking, cloud-like structures around a blazing center. It was as if all elements were dancing in a wild storm, consolidating to form a sun that would maybe give life to a planet at some point. The wonder in his golden eyes was child-like and pure. Watching this display of sheer energy made him feel insignificant and small. It calmed him and soothed his insanity-plagued mind.<p>

52: Too Late

„It's too late to save them." It's what Zim told him. And for some reason, Dib smiled. Too late... from this moment on, he wouldn't have to fight anymore. He could relax and surrender, be a slave to the alien that fulfilled his every bidding. Giving up had never felt this good. 

53: But I DIDN'T Do It

Magenta eyes stared at the file in Dib's hand, „evidence" written on the cover. He knew inside were photos of him without his disguise, videos, proof of his being an alien. Golden eyes met his and they just looked at each other, unable to speak for a long while. Finally, Zim opened his mouth. „You... could have turned me over to the earth authorities..." Dib nodded slowly. „But I DIDN'T do it." It took another moment, information sinking in slowly. „Why...?" The answer he got wasn't one he had expected. But then again, he hadn't expected the human to spare him, either. 

54: Hot

It was hot... Zim didn't understand why. Being close to the Dib made a strange heat spread in his middle, making him shiver from the cooler air around him. At first, he had thought something was wrong with him. But several check-ups from his computer confirmed that he was completely healthy. It was different from arousal, Zim could tell. The heat was not as sharp, yet more intense. Such a strange feeling. It must be one of the human emotions or reactions he had inherited when their DNA had mixed. This kind of heat spiked every time Dib was close to him, especially when he touched him in a softer manner. Like right now. The warm, large, human hands smoothed back his lekku softly, while Zim rested against Dib's broad chest. And his own felt like it would burst with this wonderful burning heat inside. 

55: Optimism  
>No matter what obstacles they met and what dangers and problems they had to face... if there was something that kept the human going, it was Zim's sheer unstoppable, unbreakable optimism. Who cared if it bordered dangerously on insanity? If Zim claimed they could do it, they *would* do it.<p>

56: Lucky 13  
>„How is this even logical? Zim thought this number was supposed to be bad luck. How can it be lucky, then?" Dib sighed wearily and explained it all to him over again, already regretting mentioning that movie to him.<p>

57: I'm In  
>Zim blinked his large eyes at the human before him, positive he had not heard what he had heard a moment ago. Either that, or the fragile string that had held the boy's sanity had finally snapped and he had lost his mind. Sensing his stunned confusion, Dib stepped closer, confident and serious. „I'm in. I'll join you. I'm tired of trying to save beings that won't so much as acknowledge me as one of their own." The first impulse was to laugh and refuse. But the alien instead found himself offering his hand in acceptance.<p>

58: Slightly Disturbed

In his slightly more sane moments, Dib knew their relationship was dysfunctional, affected by codependency and their lingering, subliminal obsession for each other. That, plus the dire need for comfort and company that bound them to each other. Both had lost their reason, their homes and their people, forced to go against all laws and morals and forge this strange companionship. Dib had become Zim's Tallest, the single most powerful leader in the known universe. And Zim bowed to his each and every will. In return, Dib offered everything he had to his mate, fulfilling his each and every wish. They were slaves to each other, without one being a master. It was disturbing and it was insane. But it was the only way for them. And within this giant mess of chaos and unhealthy thoughts, Dib found himself happy. Happier than he had ever been in all his years on earth. Maybe it was the insanity clawing at his genius mind, maybe it was all his imagination, but it didn't matter. He was happy and Zim was happy. That was all that mattered. 

59: Loathing  
>It was what was in the Tallest's eyes when they took away his sole purpose for existence. It was what was in his mate's eyes, when he took their lives in retaliation for the hurt they had caused him.<p>

60: Worse  
>It had started bad. Explosions and earthquakes all around, terrified screaming filled the air, along with the stench of burning flesh. Rather than watching the chaos below, Zim watched his mate as he stared at the scene unfolding before them. There it was again. That insane glow in his golden eyes. It was creepy and Zim silently prayed he would never be on the receiving end of that stare. By the way Dib's shoulders shook in soundless laughter, Zim knew it would only get worse from here. He had witnessed how his mate had dealt with the former Tallest and knew that he would take out his insanity on the people below. Pressing a three-fingered hand to his belly, over the new life growing inside, Zim only hoped the bloody revenge would serve Dib as a sort of catharsis.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

61: Speak  
>It felt like his tongue was broken. And to only add to his misery, he was given a swat over the head by his rather impatient teacher. „WRONG! Say it again, Dib-beast!" The human sighed and tried to wrap his too wide, fleshy human tongue around the clicks and chirps that were irken words.<p>

62: Toys

„Those aren't toys!" Dib huffed, putting away the tiny computers and pieces of technology from the twins. „Yes they are! Zim played with those as a smeet." Rolling his eyes, the human replaced the „playthings" with a plush animal and a few toy blocks."I think it'd be nice to not raise them as strictly. Let them have a few normal toys, too." The human smiled, watching the babies explore their new toys happily. Zim pouted, but let his mate have his way. 

63: Ocean  
>„It's like the ocean..." Dib whispered, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight before him. They were passing by a yet unnamed nebula and the sheer sight of it left Dib awed, staring open mouthed at the bluish expanse of galaxies, forming a near perfect plane, myriads of stars twinkling like reflected moonlight on the sea.<p>

64: Deceived  
>He had been deceived. All this time. All those years. It had all be in vain. All his efforts, his pain, his scars, his LIFE had been a giant joke to the beings he had worshipped like gods. Zim kept on staring at the blackened screens, still trying to understand what had just happened. His first instinct was to contact his Tallest, ask them what he should do now and Zim cringed at the irony of that thought. They had told him what to do. „Go and die if you 's been fun watching you try, but now we're bored by your incompetence. Do not contact us again." He wanted to... so badly, but he couldn't. Not ever again. Who could he turn to, now? A part of him knew the answer. But he was reluctant to admit that he needed *his* help.<p>

65: Black and White  
>Black and white were supposed to be opposites. Things that could not be one. Yet, as Zim looked down to the sleeping teen, dark hair moving like liquid over a white neck with each calm breath, shadows hiding some of the milky pale body, accentuating the tight structure of his muscles and bones underneath. And just above the pink, silken sheets, was black ink marking white skin, the irken emblem tattooed into the soft valley next to a hipbone. Black and white were opposites, but they formed a perfect whole, and that perfect whole was his.<p>

66: Whatever

The Dib was in trouble. Zim watched from a few meters away, pressing his back against the wall to stay mostly out of sight. He doubted, though, that any of those idiotic humans would have noticed him, even if he had worn a bright neon sign. They were too busy separating Dib from the others and pushing him into a corner behind the skool building. Even if he tried not to show it, the boy was clearly afraid of the physically stronger and larger males. Zim could tell by the way his face paled and by the faint, but obvious scent of fear in the air.

He remembered some of the occasions where he had seen the results of this... „bullying". Dib wore several scars on his skin, the bruises usually faded within a few days but some of the injuries would mark his body forever. And not only that. Once, he had found the Dib by chance, and he was sure he'd never forget the sight of him from that moment. Clothes torn and crumpled, face a blank mask, no expression at all, blood smeared all over his thighs and creating little drops on the ground. It had taken a while for the alien to understand what that meant and once he figured it out, he had felt a burning rage like never before. No one was allowed to damage irken property!

Snapping back to reality, he growled quietly when the largest of the guys grabbed Dib by the front of his shirt and jerked him up. Before the raised fist could make contact with a fragile jaw, it was stopped by a gloved, three-fingered hand. A tiny, frighteningly strong hand.

The bully looked confusedly up at the thin, delicate being hovering in front of him, between him and his bespectacled victim. It took a long moment for him to realize that people didn't usually „hover" at all. With a start, he let go of Dib and took a step backwards, hearing the other thugs gasp around him. Zim, the strange green kid with a „skin condition" was standing, no dangling, before them, supporting his flimsy body with four, metallic legs. And he was growling dangerously. „The Dib is mine. Get your filthy paws off my property." He said slowly, darkly. The reaction was too obvious. Zim didn't even blink as his PAK legs made short work of the bullies around them. All of them, except the one that seemed to be the leader and that had tried punching Dib. Fear was etched into his ugly face now, staring at the monster above him. When he started spluttering pleas and apologies, Zim made a disgusted face at him. „Yeah, yeah, that's magical! Whatever! Now listen to Zim, earth-stink. The moment you touch my property again will be the moment you'll lose your limbs. Is that understood?" Too scared to reply, the terrified teen just nodded, bolting from the scene.

Dib had been silent through the whole thing, watching Zim with wide eyes. He came around quickly though and gave a little relieved sigh. „Thanks, Spaceboy. Though, I'd like to note the fact that I am not your property. I'll-" „You'll what? Nothing, Dib-human. You will be mine. And no one will dare to lay a finger upon you except for Zim." The alien hissed into his face. Dib couldn't help but smile. „Whatever, Spaceboy." 

67: Death

Years later, they had talked about death. Irken and human life spans were different. Even with their mixed DNA, one of them would die before the other. But neither was scared. With the data in their PAKs, the countless backups and their unique connection, they knew... no matter when they died, their consciousness, their memories, their very existence would continue. In a sense, they were invincible. 

68: Jump  
>„I'll catch you!" He heard it from the tiny irken device in his ear and, as he stepped up onto the railing of the building, he believed it. He watched the armed men in front of him, some crouching, most of them aiming weapons at him. One of them went on about how he should come down, he would not be harmed. The usual blabber given to suicidal persons. He wasn't suicidal. He was on the run. With a calm grin, he waved at them, before leaning back, letting himself simply drop off the twenty plus story building they had chased him up onto. For a split-second, he wondered what it would be like, if everything just ended like this... But then he chided himself, relaxing into the fall, the air screaming in his ears. Above that, he could hear the startled and angry shouts from above. Closing his eyes, he wasn't surprised at the sudden stop of his fall, the shock of it making him give a soft „oof". When he opened his eyes, he was met with angry, if obviously relieved, magenta eyes. „How many times will you let yourself be caught and forced to jump off high places?!" Dib smiled. „As many times as you will cause so much trouble that I have to go and fix whatever damage you've done." Climbing into the voot, he settled behind the smaller form of the irken. „Besides.. you'll always be there to catch me." It was a statement.<p>

69: Broken Promise

„You promised us! You promised!" She screamed, angry, terrified tears on her face. He met her gaze with infuriating calmness. „And what did I promise you?"

„To save us! And now... now you're helping them!"

„Oh.. I see. But there is a misunderstanding, isn't there? A promise made on deaf ears is meaningless. What did you answer, when I promised you salvation?" As expected, he was met with silence. „Yes... you laughed, you didn't want my help. And you've got another thing wrong. I'm not helping them. They are helping me. What you see there is MY army." He made a simple gesture to the spaceship-darkened sky behind him. „My army and my family." he added, still eerily calm. His former classmate stared at him in disbelief and terror. „You're insane!" She repeated helplessly. „Yes... what will you do against it? Seems the promises of a madman aren't worth the air they're spoken with." 

70: All the Little Things

Dib lay on his belly, on the large, round bed, watching his mate and kids. The twins were giggling happily when Zim tickled them with his lekku. It was also a sort of ritual, exchanging scents, forming a bond between parent and child. Dib felt a little left our, but he didn't mind. His children were bonding with him as well. In a different way, but none the less deeply. He smiled at the way Zim acted around the smeets. It was sweet and affectionate in its own, strangely cute way. All the little things he said or did, they all showed just how much he cared for their offspring. If only a defective irken was capable of feeling and showing love, he didn't want an intact one. 

71: Six Feet Underground

It was like being buried alive, Dib thought. Sometimes, he became so anxious, his claustrophobia getting the better of him, that he had to pace along the twisted corridors restlessly to keep from hyperventilating. Zim's base was safe. It was the only safe place they had. And yet he couldn't help his human instincts. He needed the sun, and knowing he wouldn't be able to see it for a long, long time was slowly driving him crazy. He stopped at the highest part of the lab. From here, it were only six feet to the surface and yet, it was impossible to reach. 

72: Bug

Sometimes, like right now, Dib was reminded of an insect when he looked at his former enemy. With his magenta eyes wide in curiosity, lekku twitching while he was listening to one of the human horror tales Dib knew so well to tell, he looked just like the most adorable bug. 

73: Alibi  
>Zim sat frozen on Dib's couch, staring nervously at the suited men. Dib stood in front of him, showing a nonchalant face and, considering the situation, was frighteningly calm. „He was with me the whole day. What do you want?"<p>

„We have suspicions he might have been involved in an incident concerning a secret aircraft." Dib lifted an eyebrow. „Are you telling me you think he's an alien and you saw him fly by in a ufo?" Zim stopped staring at the agents and instead focussed his carefully schooled expression on Dib. The disbelief and open mocking was perfectly played. Never in his long life would Zim have thought that this human boy would be the one to save him from the earth government. The very persons he had always claimed he'd expose him to. And he was doing such a perfect job at it, too! The suited men hesitated at the open doubt in the boy's voice. „I mean... look at him! Does he look like an alien to you? Just look at his hair!" After some whispered discussions, the men gave them a warning and left, leaving an angry, but relieved teen and a nonplussed alien in disguise. „You... saved Zim..."

„Yes, I wasn't done playing with you yet." he replied, pointing at the running video game that had been gave a grin and silently thanked his former enemy.

74: On Holiday

This was nice, Zim decided. He had bothered Dib for at least a week straight to do something about the horrid weather this winter season brought, until the human finally relented and agreed to take him on a trip. Here, in some forgotten patch of nature, a small lake in the middle of an old volcano, the alien found even the water to be clean enough to not irritate his sensitive skin. It was warm and watching the Dib-human skinny-dipping in the clear water made the tranquility of this place that much better. 

75: No News  
>It had been months without annoying calls. Without the constant grating voice of the tiny, exiled self-proclaimed invader. And the Tallest Red and Purple thought it was a good thing. No news meant no bad news. That meant Zim was probably finally gone for good, having met his end at that horrible, backwater planet. Good riddance and they would never hear about that little pest ever again. They couldn't even begin to fathom how very, very wrong they were.<p>

76: Under the Stars

It was completely dark, only the soft twinkling of stars in this moonless night was seen. In the safety of darkness, they kissed for the first time. If, by morning, they regretted it, they could always pretend that it didn't happen. No one had seen them. Not even they. It was the safety they needed. 

77: Running Away

Rounding a corner, both of them dived behind a large dumpster, trying to hide in the darkness. Neither dared to make a sound as their pursuers passed by the tiny alley they had hidden in. Once they were well out of eashot, Zim watched the boy next to him, clad only in white pants and the shredded remains of a sturdy straitjacket. Dib had gotten pale during the months he had spent in that mental hospital, or „crazy house" as they liked to call it. But as they hid in the cold, dirty corner, he grinned, looking more alive than he had in ages. „Running away with you never sounded as good as it does right now." He breathed, and Zim chuckled quietly. 

78: Window

Dib stared at the TV-screen fixedly, watching the news and any other programs that showed events on the surface. It was like a window to the world from down here in their self-chosen exile. Zim let him, knowing the human needed to see other faces than his sometimes. He wasn't irken. He wasn't used to and raised in a society with nearly no social interactions. Zim felt a little sorry for that. But he knew Dib had chosen this way for himself, knowing of the consequences. Still, he needed a break every now and then and if watching TV for a while helped, Zim wouldn't bother him while he did. 

79: Make Me Happy

„He does, doesn't he?"

„What?" Zim stared at the newest, random outburst from his silly robot minion, only half-wondering what it was this time. Still, the tone had been almost serious and that alone piqued his interest. „Make you happy!" It squealed, flailing its stubby arms happily. „Wha... Who? What are you talking about, Gir?!"

„MARY! He's making you aaaaaaaall happy!" It lasted around three seconds, until Gir stormed off, screaming something about gophers. „Make me happy...?" The alien wondered, the concept of happiness foreign to him. But he had to admit, in the solitude of his own thoughts... it was kind of pleasant, being around this certain creature... 

80: Villain

With their polished, alien armor, the bright colors and their proud appearance, the pair looked like superheroes. But to the screaming mass of people below, they were nothing but villains as they rained death and destruction down upon them.


	5. Chapter 5

81: Masquerade

His disguise had never been a good one. Still, except for Dib and maybe his little sister Gaz, no one looked through it. Sometimes, Dib wondered how it was even possible to NOT see through the crappy outfit. Also... Dib thought that the alien was better off without any disguise. His large, magenta eyes were much too expressive to be hidden behind those ugly lenses. When they were alone, the masquerade was unneeded. They preferred each other without disguises and the masks that both of them showed the world. 

82: Don't Make a Sound  
>„Shh!" Zim hissed, pressing his body against Dib's and his hand over the human's mouth. He pushed them into a tiny niche in the pink, metal wall, feeling his companion comply at once. A pair of soldier drones were patrolling the ship's machine rooms, coming dangerously close to their hiding spot. Gloved fingers pressed Dib's lips closed for good measure, unable to hide Zim's own nervousness. Though, even without the reminder, the human was completely silent. All that was heard was the quiet hum and buzz of the machinery around them. And the steps of the soldiers approaching. If they were found out, they were dead. Only after the footsteps had faded and they were left with the silent sound of the machine room again, they relaxed a little. „Don't make a sound." Zim mouthed, making his ally nod. Only two more of those rooms and they'd reach the ducts that would lead them to their destination. The Tallest's private quarters. Until then, complete silence was their only chance for survival.<p>

83: Cold

How he hated the winter season. This planet's weather changed so much between summer and winter, it was annoying. Especially since his body wasn't made to compensate the terrible freezing temperatures during this season. His race was able to withstand very high temperatures, but the cold was horrible. All the more, he was thankful for his human companion. The Dib proved to be quite useful. Humans, as Zim had learned, or at least this human, possessed an impressive body heat. And the Dib was so eager to share it, too. No heater would ever match the comforting warmth he felt whenever he pressed his – and he hated to admit it – smaller body against the strong, warm, human one. The delicious heat seeped right to his very core and, being buried in a cocoon of plush comforters and warm skin, he found the winter season wasn't all that bad anymore.

84: Umbrella  
>Looking back, it might have been the very first, tentative step from being enemies to becoming friends. Pouring rain, an impressive thunderstorm and an alien in disguise, cowering at the skool's front door in hopes the rain would stop soon. Before either of them even know what was happening, the human had pushed the umbrella into the gloved, three-fingered hands and run off with his leather coat pulled over his head.<p>

85: Please

It was everything he heard now. All around him, screaming, screeching in his ears. Please... please... please... save us, spare us. He had grown tired of it. And he took his pleasure in silencing those screams. It was ecstatic. The silence that followed was ever so sweet. 

86: To and From  
>„What will we do now?" Zim asked, hugging closer to his mate's warm chest. „I don't know... does it matter?" Zim looked up at those golden eyes. „Doesn't it?" he seemed a little confused. Dib just smiled softly, calmly. „It really doesn't... the to and from. Where we're going to, where we came from. We're here. We're alive. It doesn't matter where we're going. It'll all be ours. We'll go where we want." Pressing his cheek against the warm skin again, Zim nodded. It was true. They'd go where they'd go, and that would be it.<p>

87: Say When  
>Dib couldn't remember why they had started drinking, but they had. Zim had a similar tolerance to alcohol as he did, so the game was fair. „Say when.." Dib slurred, pouring his alien partner yet another glass of wine, using both hands to keep the bottle steady in his unsteady grip.<p>

88: On Top of the World  
>The top of the world. That's where they were, looking down on something that would soon be gone. Soon, nothing would be left of this place but their memories. Both of them were on top of the world and marveling at the beauty of it all, while at the same moment condemning it to extinction without so much as a second thought.<p>

89: Forgiveness  
>Zim thought forgiveness was sweet. Much, much sweeter than most of the victories he had achieved. Each kiss and each „I forgive you" sent warm shivers down his spine. And each time he decided to forgive one of the things the Dib asked forgiveness for, he felt something lift from his weary mind. They sat comfortably on the round, irken bed, naked, with Zim comfortably straddling Dib's crossed legs. After the first, awkward confessions and wanting to make up for the worse things they had done to each other, they relaxed, not wanting this new intimacy and fidelity for each other to end so soon. It became more and more playful, until they started apologizing for each and every time they had glared, or called each other names. And every forgiveness was accompanied with a warm kiss and gentle, whispered words.<p>

90: Mr. Mom  
>As he stood there, one smeet in his arms, suckling away on a bottle, rocking the other's crib with his foot, Dib thought he must look more like a mother than Zim ever had. The headband and cooing noises he made probably didn't help the picture, either. Still... the leader of the most powerful empire and largest army in existence found... he didn't care how he looked. His family was more important than his pride.<p>

91: Doomsday Clock

Time was running out. Dib stared at the irken numbers as they changed, announcing the state of preparation of the sweeper cannons. For such a large planet, they needed a lot of energy. And since the new Tallest was known to actually think more than five minutes ahead, he told his Armada to prepare properly. To make sure they would not run out of energy and that all energy spent could easily be compensated. They couldn't afford to be vulnerable for even mere minutes. The clock was ticking and life on earth lived through its last minutes. Dib brushed his fingers over the large, purple button. Soon... 

92: Gold  
>On earth, there was a rare metal. Gold, the humans called it. Zim had seen a few pieces of jewelery and knick-knacks made of said metal. It was yellow colored, with tints of red, silver and brown. It possessed a certain beauty, with the reflected colors and a warm yellow glow. When he looked closely, which he did too much, lately, he would find tiny golden specks in the warm honey color of his human's eyes. When the light hit the iris just so, they would sparkle like polished orbs of gold.<p>

93: Unstoppable  
>Even with all the twitchiness and inanity that dominated his exterior, Dib wasn't fooled. He knew, inside, the alien was frighteningly intelligent and cunning. Once they got over the bugs in his PAK that caused Zim to be a complete spaz, he would be unstoppable. Smiling, Dib fixed another, minor error in the PAK's programming, helping Zim to become even more of a menace than before.<p>

94: Race

They played like kids. Their newfound freedom allowed them to indulge themselves in all the childish pleasures they wanted. Like racing each other. A voot cruiser race was refreshingly simple and enjoyable, while still giving both mates the thrill of competition. Zim was the better and more experienced pilot, while Dib came up with more tricks and maneuvers.

95: Time is Running Short

Zim was antsy. He ran past Dib for what had to be the twentieth time, carrying half-organic, half-technical -ooking material and occasionally a few snacks to the smallest room in the underground lab. He was building a nest. The human felt useless, unsure what to do. He had tried offering help with carrying things, but his pregnant mate had only hissed at him and told him he'd only be in the way. This nesting the irken was preparing for was quite curious. Zim would have to finish a nest before the last stage of his pregnancy started. He had warned Dib that he would not be able to go near him. His „maternal" instincts would kick in and anyone coming too close to the nest, including his own mate, would be attacked mercilessly. Time was running short and Dib was left to stand uselessly in the corridor, sighing, while he watched Zim rush around in his pregnant state.

96: Not Over Yet

„It's not over yet..." Dib whispered, breath puffing against the cool glass-like barrier seperating him from his father's prison. His eyes were wide, crazed, mouth twisted into a cruel, face-splitting grin. „You'll watch it all, the sweep, the destruction and the whole time, you will know you could have stopped this!" The professor dropped to the simple pallet, having no more strength left to stand, unable to look at his son any longer. How had it come to this...? Where had he gone wrong to create such a monster?

97: This is Home

With his head resting in his mate's lap, children cuddled to his chest and napping, Dib was content. Without wanting to admit it, he had been scared. Scared of feeling homesick, of missing his home, his race, his planet. But he didn't. He was with the beings that were important to him... that he was important to... and he felt more at peace than ever before. This here, right now, this was home.

98: Almost

As he watched the carnage before him, Zim almost felt something akin to pity. Almost. He cringed a little when his mate buried both hands in twitching, irken flesh, but at the same time, he felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction watching the scene before him. His Tallest were getting what they deserved. The brutal way in which it was happening made his newly developed parental instincts kick in a bit. He almost felt pity... but only almost.

99: Tranquil

In all of his 28 years life, Dib had never felt such peace before. As he lay on his back in the darkness, he watched the stars around him twinkle and glint, barely giving off any light, just enough to be noticed. It was dead silent here, not a single sound made its way past the invisible barrier around the cupola of the Massive. It was as if he was floating in the nonentity of space and nothing mattered anymore. All his battles were done, all the fights won and all duties fulfilled. All the buzz of his chaotic thoughts had calmed. Now, he could just... be. The universe around him filled him with the same black silence that was itself and it felt good.

100: Peace at Last

All their battles had been won. The universe was theirs. And among their people, mixed from scores of different species, they were respected and looked up to. Respect. Honor. Being accepted. Being one of their people. Having a family. It all had become true for them. After all the hardships and all the chaos... they could finally have peace.


End file.
